Strongylid Community Structure of the Przewalski's Horses (Equus ferus Przewalskii) from the Biosphere Reserve "Askania-Nova", Ukraine

Abstract

Strongylid Community Structure of the Przewalski's Horses (Equus ferus Przewalskii) from the Biosphere Reserve "Askania-Nova", UkraineSpecies composition and the structure of strongylid community of the Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskiiPoljakov, 1881) semi-free population at the "Askania-Nova" Biosphere Reserve were studied by thein vivomethod of diagnostic deworming. After deworming of 24 adult Przewalski's horses by the anthelmintic "Univerm" (0.2% aversectin C, Russia), 25,815 strongylid specimens were collected and identified. Thirty-one strongylid species of 12 genera were found including 6 species of the subfamily Strongylinae and 25 — of Cyathostominae. Nine to 18 strongylid species (average 14.5 ± 2.5) were found per horse. Cyathostomes (Cyathostominae) dominated in the Przewalski's horse strongylid community: 9 species (Cyathostomum catinatum, C. pateratum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, C. insigne, C. leptostomum, C. ashworthi, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, C. goldi and C. minutus) were found in more than 80% of horses examined and composed 94.1% of the total number of strongylid collected. Strongyles (Strongylinae) were found in 100% of theE. ferus przewalskiiexamined; prevalence of separate species was from 4.2% to 58.3%. The general structure of the strongylid community was multimodal with dominant (9 species), subdominant (4), background (4) and rare (14) species. The list of strongylid species found in the Przewalski'si horses in Ukraine was enlarged to 37 species.